Hot Executive Function Assessment Instruments in Preschool Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The study aimed to systematically analyze the empirical evidence that is available concerning batteries, tests or instruments that assess hot executive functions (EFs) in preschoolers, identifying which are the most used instruments, as well as the most evaluated hot EFs. For the review and selection of articles, the systematic review methodology PRISMA was used. The article search considered the EBSCO, Web of Science (WoS), SciELO and PubMed databases, with the keywords “Hot executive function”, “Assessment”, “test”, “evaluation”, using the Boolean operators AND and OR indistinctly, between 2000 and April 2021. Twenty-four articles were selected and analyzed. The most commonly used instruments to assess hot EFs in preschool children were the Delayed Gratification Task, the Child’s Play Task, and the Delayed Reward Task. Amongst those analyzed, 17 instruments were found to assess hot EFs in preschoolers. The accuracy and conceptual clarity between the assessment of cognitive and emotional components in EFs is still debatable. Nevertheless, the consideration of affective temperature and reward stimulus type, could be an important influence when assessing EFs in this age range. Evidence of the possible involvement of cortical and subcortical structures, as well as the limbic system, in preschool executive functioning assessment has also been incorporated.

Usability and Effects of a Combined Physical and Cognitive Intervention Based on Active Video Games for Preschool Children

“…Several factors may explain this observation. Firstly, preschool children are in a critical period of rapid EFs development and brain development [ 10 , 32 , 33 ], so combined physical–cognitive interventions that require significant attention and cognitive effort from children are more effective ways of improving EFs than in adults, older adults, and others. Secondly, exergames such as games provide children with a positive emotional experience and enjoyment, thus increasing their intrinsic motivation to exercise.…”

“…However, empirical research in this field has been limited, with most studies focusing on interventions for children with developmental disorders [ 29 ], while studies assessing the impact of exergames on cognitive functioning in preschool children remain scarce [ 15 , 25 , 31 ]. The preschool years of 3-6 years are a critical period for the rapid development of individual EFs and the peak of individual brain development [ 10 , 32 , 33 ]. Therefore, focusing on the development of EFs and conducting programs to effectively increase EFs in preschool is an increasingly important area that can have a considerable impact on the success and future development of preschool children after school [ 2 , 34 ].…”

Executive Functions, Self-Regulation and External-Regulation: Relations and new evidence

“…In this context, one of the most significant problems in understanding executive functions is the breadth and diversity of criteria used to define them. For example, distinguished between (1) the 'cold' executive function component, more purely cognitive, associated with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and, according to Hongwanishkul et al (2005, p. 618), more likely to me measured by "abstract decontextualized problems" like the task presented in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; and (2) the 'hot' executive function component, in charge of regulating aspects that are associated with a relevant emotional component (Mehsen et al, 2021), associated with the ventromedial-prefrontal cortex areas, and more likely to be measured by tasks that involve the regulation of affect and motivation. Since the existence of pure processes is rare, the usual understanding is that EF display a joint and synchronized job between both systems in order to achieve the most efficient result in each situation (Best and Miller, 2010).…”

Ice Cream: new virtual reality tool for the assessment of executive functions in children and adolescents: a normative study

“…In this context, one of the most significant problems in understanding executive functions is the breadth and diversity of criteria used to define them. For example, Zelazo and Müller (2002) distinguished between (1) the ‘cold’ executive function component, more purely cognitive, associated with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and, according to Hongwanishkul et al (2005 , p. 618), more likely to me measured by “abstract decontextualized problems” like the task presented in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; and (2) the ‘hot’ executive function component, in charge of regulating aspects that are associated with a relevant emotional component ( Mehsen et al, 2021 ), associated with the ventromedial-prefrontal cortex areas, and more likely to be measured by tasks that involve the regulation of affect and motivation. Since the existence of pure processes is rare, the usual understanding is that EF display a joint and synchronized job between both systems in order to achieve the most efficient result in each situation ( Best and Miller, 2010 ).…”